The check engine light came on this morning, and your Ford drives exactly the way it did yesterday.
What to do first depends on whether your Ford check engine light is steady or flashing.
A steady check engine light means your Ford found a problem, so schedule service. A flashing light means a possible engine misfire: ease off and have it checked immediately. If your Ford runs rough, loses power, or shows an oil pressure or temperature warning, stop driving when it’s safe and call for help.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean on My Ford?
The check engine light comes on when your Ford finds a problem with the engine or the emissions system. The light doesn’t say what the problem is, only that something needs a look.
A steady light means address it as soon as you can: contact a Ford dealer and schedule service.
What Usually Causes the Check Engine Light to Come On?
Common causes include:
- A loose or faulty fuel cap
- An oxygen sensor, which reads the oxygen in the exhaust
- Spark plugs or ignition parts, which ignite the fuel and can cause rough running or poor acceleration when worn
- A mass airflow sensor, which measures the air going into the engine and can cause rough idling and lower fuel economy when it fails
- A catalytic converter, which cleans the exhaust and can reduce performance and fuel economy when it fails
The fuel cap is the one you can check yourself, so start there. If your Ford shows a Check Fuel Cap warning, make sure the cap is on and tightened. Telling which of the others it is takes a technician.
What Does a Flashing Check Engine Light Mean on My Ford?
A flashing light means your engine may be misfiring. The extra-hot exhaust from a misfire can damage the catalytic converter, the fuel system, and other parts of the vehicle, so a flashing light can’t wait.
Drive gently, avoid hard acceleration and braking, and have the vehicle checked immediately. If the engine runs rough or loses power, or an oil pressure or temperature warning comes on too, stop driving when it’s safe and call for service or roadside assistance.
Can I Keep Driving My Ford With the Check Engine Light On?
It depends on what the light is doing and what else your Ford is doing.
| What you notice | How urgent it is | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| A steady light, and your Ford drives normally | Schedule service soon | Contact a Ford dealer to have it diagnosed. If a Check Fuel Cap warning shows, check the cap first. |
| A flashing light | Have it checked immediately | Drive gently until it’s checked. |
| The light, plus rough running, loss of power, or an oil pressure or temperature warning | Stop driving when it’s safe and call | Call service or roadside assistance. |
What Happens When I Bring My Ford In for a Check Engine Light at Gary Yeomans Ford Palm Bay Service Center?
Your Ford saves a trouble code when it finds a problem, and a Ford dealer is where you find out what that code means. We read the code with advanced diagnostic tools, work out what’s causing it, and tell you what we find and what it needs.
When you schedule, tell us if the light has flashed at any point and whether your Ford has felt any different. Our Palm Bay service center is on Malabar Road SE, and you can schedule with us from Melbourne, West Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, or Satellite Beach.